Two hours of finale from the NBC Comedy block this week. The Office spends an hour (and presumably a large budget) sifting through high profile celebrities interviewing for the manager position. Then Parks & Recreation delivers two cohesive half-hour episode making up their incredibly, almost surprisingly gripping finale leaving us in painful cliff-hangersville.

Below the jump: Parks and Recreation & The Office

Parks & Recreation

The Bubble

I absolutely adored how Parks & Rec managed to both give us the “honeymoon” period of Leslie and Ben’s forbidden love while popping the bubble in the same half-hour saving us from strange governmental schmoopyness.

For some reason I took off my shoes and held them in my hand

Leslie’s mom rocked. She was so pitch perfect as a totally crazy woman who is very serious about her job. I love how nervous Ben got around Leslie’s mother, Adam Scott shines when he’s playing awkward and nervous.

I like himMe too…keep your hands off

I love that Ron Swanson is able to compromise if it means what’s best for the department (and himself) even if it means sitting in that awful swivel desk temporarily. Really interesting to note the Donna was the one to talk some damn sense into Ron Swanson, she knows what she’s talking about.

When life gives you lemons make lemonade. I read that one on a can of lemonade. I like to think it applies to life.

Lil Sebastian

April & Andy continue to demand more and more attention even while their roles in the episode are small. Their adorable gesturing in the background as April negotiated the sale of Andy’s song was brilliant.

I also love that Andy’s song ended up being really catchy and the performance was great. As for the rest of Lil’ Sebastian’s ceremony, the chain of events everything goes wrong this is always funny for a reason, especially when it culminates in a fireball that scorches Ron Swanson’s precious facial hair.

Love that Jean-Ralphio compares Tom and himself to Thelma and Louise. Where does he get these ideas?

Love the return of Tammy II, and the terrifying implications of Tammy I. When pure evil is afraid of Tammy I who knows what she’s capable of. I hope to find out next season!

As for Ben and Leslie, one of the most precious TV couples around, I spent the entire episode waiting for the other shoe to drop. What we were given at the end was something I couldn’t have anticipated. [Note: one of my theories was that Leslie and Ben would get a quickie City Hall wedding to somehow circumvent Chris’s ban on office relationships] As it turns out Leslie is being looked at as a potential candidate for political office, for this she cannot have any skeletons or scandals, this would include a secret forbidden office relationship that was already very difficult to keep under wraps.

I love that Leslie’s hard work is being recognized and she is being vetted as a potential mayoral candidate by a group of influential people. I hate the implication that she will have to choose between romantic fulfillment and success in her career.

Parks & Recreation has always treated its characters so well, and with dignity. I trust the show to treat Leslie as well as she deserves next season. I can’t wait to see how this will all be resolved, seriously, I’m pretty certain that this cliff-hanger is the one that will be bugging me the most over the summer.

R.I.P Lil’ Sebastian, you will be missed

Do you feel like Leslie is being treated fairly, or are you also pissed that she’s being forced into this “professional woman has to sacrifice” story type? Megan Mullally (Nick Offerman’s real life wife) does such a great job of mixing chemistry and being terrifying, who do you think should be cast as Tammy I? Most importantly, how will you be coping with Parks & Rec withdrawal over the summer? I’ll be checking out these summer shows, but seriously I’ll need tips, let me have ’em!